Pokémon: Who let him leave Pallet Town?

Chapter 498 Please enlighten me, Champion

call out!call out!call out!
The white light doll seemed to have found the most fun game, and began to tirelessly shuttle through Natsume and Cattleya's bodies at high speed.

Each time she entered Natsume's body, Gadriya's face turned pale, her body trembled, and her eyes were filled with fear and emptiness.

Each time she returned to Cattleya's body, she would instantly blush, her body would go limp, and her eyes would become glazed.

Girl, what are you doing?
Don't use your telekinesis to go in and out of my body, scanning me all over!

Natsume remained silent, but soon he realized something was wrong.

It seems that this was not Cattleya's will, but rather the will of the life-giving doll inside the other person's body.

The two bodies reacted in a strange synchronization as the baby entered and exited. Cattleya was like being pushed on an emotional rollercoaster, jumping back and forth between extreme emptiness and ultimate fulfillment.

Her face changed unpredictably, and Cattleya quickly fainted, only able to utter unconscious, soft sobs.

Natsume frowned; he sensed something was wrong.

Sure enough, the next second, a sharp, stinging pain struck.

A huge crack had appeared in his mental world.

The telekinetic power, which seemed to have weakened due to entering a new realm, is now stepping back into the main world and is about to create its own!

But right now, the total amount of telekinetic power he has rebuilt is still insufficient.

"Enough!" Natsume shouted, his powerful mental energy instantly converging to form an invisible barrier.

When the life-giving doll rammed into Natsume again, it was gently blocked by the barrier. It seemed to be stunned for a moment, then, like a wronged child, it whimpered and obediently shrank back into the depths of Cattleya's body, no longer coming out to cause trouble.

With the birth doll gone, Natsume was finally able to get up.

He lifted Catharia with one hand.

The latter's body ceased that violent, shameful synchronized response.

But her face was still flushed red, and she leaned weakly against Natsume, panting heavily, her eyes glazed over.

The other party had virtually no control over the life doll. Every time the life doll left, it took away all of Cattleya's psychic power, which explains her strong reaction.

Natsume breathed a sigh of relief, ignoring the crowd below who were still blocked by the barrier, staring in disbelief with expressions as if they had seen a ghost.

He cleared his throat; his voice wasn't loud, but it clearly pierced through the mental barrier and echoed throughout the deathly silent auditorium.
"Quiet down, everyone."

He still had one arm around the limp Cattleya to prevent her from slipping.

With his other hand, he calmly pulled out the championship token that Alder had given him from his pocket—a token made of a special alloy, engraved with ancient runes and the League's emblem, and exuding a faint aura of majesty.

“I am Natsume.” His voice was steady and calm, carrying an unquestionable authority.

"The new champion of the United League".

"The Ardek champions have handed over the reins to me. The necessary procedures and updates to the league's official website are in place."

He glanced at Cattleya, who was lying on the chair, still breathing slightly.

"It might have been slightly delayed."

“But Adek can tell you himself, his identity is unmistakable.”

He put the token away, then held the phone high, revealing Adek's slightly bewildered face.

"That's right. Natsume and I had a battle in Suanmu Town. You can go and see for yourselves."

Below, there was utter silence.

The citizen representatives stared wide-eyed.

The entrepreneurs exchanged bewildered glances.

The dojo masters watched the two people on the high platform in their ambiguous poses with extremely interesting expressions.

Rogers lay on the ground, listening to Adek's words, then looking at Cattleya, who was being half-held in Natsume's arms. His face changed from anger to ashen, then from ashen to deathly pale, and finally turned to ashes.

Where did this guy come from?
Although the process was bizarre, Adek himself couldn't have faked it.

The new champion made his debut in this way. Everyone, including the Queen of the Rings, felt that their worldviews had been shocked like never before, their minds were in chaos, and they had no idea how to react.

Natsume looked down at the crowd below, their expressions varied and all frozen in place, and felt that Cattleya's body temperature had finally calmed down a bit but was still burning hot and she was trembling slightly.

He took a deep breath and announced in the calmest, most matter-of-fact tone:
"Alright, now that everyone is here, I hereby declare—the special meeting of the Shuanglong City Council is now in session."

After he finished speaking, the entire auditorium remained completely silent.

Election campaign session at the Shuanglong City Council Auditorium.

The impactful entrance of the new champion, Natsume, and the enigmatic reaction of Queen Cattleya afterward cast an indescribable eerie atmosphere over the entire meeting.

But the meeting proceedings must continue.

After Natsume calmly announced the start of the meeting, the room fell into a long silence and awkwardness.

Ultimately, it was the experienced Shaka who was the first to adjust his mindset and begin his campaign speech.

He emphasized the historical heritage of Ottoman, its tradition of harmonious coexistence with Pokémon, and the importance of steady development, delivering a calm and powerful speech.

Rogers then took the stage.

He straightened his suit, which was slightly wrinkled from being thrown around, and his face still bore a barely noticeable bruise.

He quickly regained his confident demeanor as an elite entrepreneur.

His speech was full of passion and vision for the future. He painted a rosy picture of the future Shuanglong Project, promising unprecedented prosperity and efficiency, and it was highly persuasive.

Natsume looked at the bruises on Rogers' face with great interest.

Although Cattleya had just unleashed a burst of telekinetic energy, she was still primarily in a defensive stance.

Natsume deliberately sent Rogers flying.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk."

Natsume stared in disbelief at the incredibly realistic abrasions and bruises on the other person's face.

If Natsume had encountered this guy six months earlier, he would have definitely dismantled this vascular technology.

Perhaps in that case, the problem of Dragonite could be solved purely through technology. However, when Rogers finished his speech and the audience prepared to enter the voting stage, he did not leave the stage.

Instead, he stood in the center of the podium, a flawless, humble, and enthusiastic smile on his face, his gaze turning to Natsume on the high platform.

“Your Excellency Champion Natsume,” Rogers said in a gentle and polite voice, with just the right amount of respect.

Ok?
At this moment, the chair was completely occupied by the slumped-down Cattleya. Natsume leaned against the side of the chair, and when he heard her mention him, he raised his head slightly and looked down.

"It is an honor for Shuanglong City to conduct the election in the presence of the newly crowned league champion."

"As we all know, the League Champion is the benchmark for Unova trainers, a symbol of strength, and a guarantee of our safety."

He paused slightly, his smile becoming even more genuine:

"I am also a trainer, and I have long admired the champion's strength."

"Since we are here today for such a grand occasion, I wonder if I may have the honor of learning a thing or two from you?"

"It would be an honor not only for me to receive your guidance, but also for everyone present to witness the brilliance of the new champion, giving everyone even more confidence in the future of our Twin Dragons City and our Unova region! What do you think?"

His words were delivered in an extremely humble manner, packaging a request for a match as a humble attempt to learn from others and boost confidence. It sounded reasonable and even had a hint of being for the public good.

but
Natsume raised an eyebrow slightly, staring intently at Rogers.

The latter kept a low profile, but his gaze seemed to casually sweep over his waist.

The place was empty; Natsume hadn't brought any Pokémon with him.

That kid did it on purpose.

"You might be disappointed, I don't have any Pokémon with me today." Natsume narrowed his eyes and bluntly refused using telekinesis.

However, the moment he finished speaking, Rogers' smile suddenly froze, turning into a perfectly timed expression of surprise and slight worry.

His gaze swept precisely, yet seemingly casually, across Natsume's empty waist. He looked down regretfully, his gaze landing precisely on the edge of the microphone.

"Mr. Natsume, you...you really didn't bring any Pokémon with you?"

These words, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly created ripples.

Following Rogers' reminder, everyone's gaze immediately focused on Natsume's waist—it was indeed empty, without a single Poké Ball.

Rogers's worry deepened, and he immediately seized the opportunity to launch an attack. While maintaining a polite tone, his words became sharper:

"Excuse my bluntness, Mr. Natsume, but this doesn't seem to be in line with the duties of a champion."

Rogers paused, looked around the room, as if waiting for everyone to process the information.

After a few seconds, he continued, "As everyone knows, the champion of Ardek, the Buffalo with the swollen head, is like his shadow, always guarding his side, making the people of the United States feel extremely safe."

"Your Excellency the Champion bears the heavy responsibility of protecting Unova, and now you have come to visit us in Shuanglong City. You are truly a pillar of strength in the hearts of the citizens of Shuanglong."

"The United States is not entirely peaceful now. Those elusive terrorists are like venomous snakes in the shadows, making them impossible to guard against."

"If even a top trainer like you travels so lightly, wouldn't that give the wrong signal to those unscrupulous individuals, making them think they have an opportunity to take advantage of you?"

"This is not just a matter of your personal safety, but also a matter of the entire region's sense of security and the public's trust in the alliance!"

The atmosphere in the venue instantly plummeted to freezing point.

The citizen representatives whispered among themselves, many of them showing genuine concern – how can safety be guaranteed if even the champion doesn't bring Pokémon?

Many people in the business district exchanged glances; Rogers' words clearly struck a chord with their deep-seated need for stability and security.

The dojo owners frowned.

They naturally sensed the sinister intent hidden in Rogers' words, but his arguments were so eloquent and reasonable that they found it difficult to refute him.

Moreover, Natsume didn't bring any Poké Balls, which made them feel uneasy and puzzled.

Is this thing really a robot? How was it made?

Natsume's focus was different from others; he pondered the meaning behind Rogers' words.

His words progressed from seeking advice to discovering that Natsume hadn't brought a Poké Ball, and then rose to the level of duty, safety, and public trust, building upon each other in a logically sound and persuasive manner.

On the surface, it was a worried admonition, but in reality, every word questioned Natsume's professionalism, sense of responsibility, and qualifications as a champion.

Moreover, he once again brought up Ardek as a benchmark, which put enormous pressure on himself.

This doesn't seem like a level of language proficiency that a robot could achieve. Perhaps an activated AI could.

For some reason, Natsume thought of the AI ​​again.

He didn't believe that the Rainbow Rockets possessed such advanced robotics technology; if they were that capable, they wouldn't need to hide it like this.

Moreover, it is estimated that mass production would be difficult; otherwise, there would be no need for military force. Gradual invasion and infiltration of one world after another would be sufficient.

The other party must have a "shortcut" similar to Loletton's activation of the black mist, just like himself, and be able to create a small number of robots similar to Rogers.

Below, Mayor Shaka was extremely anxious, but didn't know how to interject.

Rogers' move was incredibly ruthless.

On the high platform, Natsume remained calm.

His deep gaze fell on Rogers, but his heart was filled with amusement.

However, despite his amusement, Natsume also clearly felt a sense of unease.

Although this guy's motives were impure, his words, though crude, were not unreasonable.

As the newly crowned league champion and the genuine representative of the region's top trainers, it is indeed troublesome to have one's strength and qualifications questioned in such a public setting.

This isn't some dojo challenge or league tournament where there's an explanation for winning or losing.

This is the prestige of a regional champion, especially in a competition like this, with countless eyes watching, including gym leaders and other experts.
If they avoid the fight or fail to come up with a decent response, the significance of this championship in the eyes of these people will likely be greatly diminished.

Natsume still remembers the mission of the Peace Dog.

This time, Aldridge's championship title, coupled with the special circumstances in the Unova region, served as the best stepping stone for him to get in touch with the league's top brass.

He cannot give it up.

(End of this chapter)